Gas-producer machine or unit for use in conjunction with metallurgical and like furnaces



Dec. 22, 1936.

J. FALLON 2,065,177 GAS PRODUCER MACHINE OR UNIT FOR USE IN CONJUNCTIONWITH METALLURGICAL AND LIKE FURNACES Filed July 28, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheetl Dec. 22, 1936.

, J.. FALLON 2 065,177 GAS PRODUCER MACHINE OR UN IT FOR USE INCONJUNCTION WITH METALLURGICAL AND LIKE FURNACES Filed July 28, 1934 3Sheets-Sheet 2 III:- 1 1211111:

Dec. 22, 1936.

J. FALLON 2,065,177 GAS PRODUCER MACHINE QR UNIT FOR USE IN CONJUNCTIO IWITH METALLURGICAL AND LIKE FURNACES Filed July 28, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet5 Patented Dec. 22, 1936 i STATES ATENT GFFICE John Fallon, Birmingham,England Application July 28, 1934, Serial No. 737,334 In Great BritainDecember 11, 1933 2 Claims.

This invention has reference to gas-producer machines or units forsupplying heating gas to metallurgical and like industrial furnaces, andis an improvement in or development of the mechanical Stoker type ofapparatus wherein one side wall of the fuel bed is adapted to beoscillated to and from the opposite wall for crushing purposes, andwhich incorporates a feed screw, mechanism for actuating saidoscillating side wall, and a reciprocating ash-clearing device heneaththe fuel bed, all actuated from a common power-driven shaft, provisionbeing also made for a primary air blast direct into the fuel bed.

The invention consists primarily in a gas-producer machine or unit, ofthe mechanical stoker type referred to, wherein the fuel feed device isadapted for indexed variable speed control, wherein the reciprocatingash-clearing device is actuated with an independently variabledisplacement from the fuel feed device, wherein the primary air blastfrom a blower is adapted for independent volumetric regulation andwherein a single master control lever is provided for the simultaneousoperation of the respective controls of the fuel feed, the ash dischargeand the air blast after their independent initial settings.

The invention further consists in a construction wherein said machine orunit is mounted on a base provided with wheels and wherein the whole ofthe driving and control mechanism, including the motor, thespeed-reduction gear, the blower, and the fuel, ash, and air controls,is mounted on a front plate or frame forming a detachable element of themachine or unit.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into practice, reference may be had to the appended explanatorydrawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a gas-producer machine .or unitembodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of the same.

In this machine or unit the coal is fed from a supply hopper l to thefuel bed 2 by means of a spiral screw 3 driven by an intermittentratchet gear 4 and 5 and link 6 from an electric motor I through aspeed-reduction gear 8, this screw 3 being adapted for a variable feedgoverned by a master control lever 92 associated with the upper sectionof a calibrated dial l0 and geared through sector wheels 46 and 41 to ashield 48 adjustably interposed between the ratchet wheel 4 and pawl 5and being arranged to deliver the coal over a spreader H. The coal feeddevice is associated with a fuel consumption meter 12 and is operativelylinked at [3 to the pawl 14 of an intermittent ratchet wheel 49 forrotation of an intermediate shaft l5 which in turn is connected by wormI6 and worm wheel I l to a counter-shaft 18 from which the reciprocatingash-clearing plough I9 is actuated through the medium of an eccentric2i], link 2!, bell-crank levers 22, and connecting rods 23, thedisplacement of this ashclearing plough being governed by a pointer 24associated with a calibrated quadrant 25 so as to control the setting ofa shield 50 adjustably interposed between the ratchet-wheel Q9 and pawl14. The oscillating side wall 26 of the fuel bed 2 is of sectionalfire-bar construction, with a bottom extension 21 designed to crack anddisintegrate any clinker or fused ash, and is actuated from the motor Iby spur wheels 28, worm 29, worm wheel 30, eccentric shaft 3!, and links32.

The master control lever 9 governing the coal feed of the screw 3 isarranged by means of a locking and control knob 34 in interlockingrelation to a pointer 33 associated with the lower section of thecalibrated dial it, this pointer 33 being operatively connected by meansof a cam 5|, lever 52, link 53 and lever arm 54 to the flap 35 of an airvalve 36 on the discharge side of a blower 31 also driven by the motorI, the blower having a connection to the fuel bed 2 to provide the airsupply, which is capable of volumetric regulation by the pointer 33,which can be set in any desired relation to the coal feed, and. thisdifferential control .of the air valve 36 also enabling full air blastto be applied during the starting-up period, after which the valve isset and clamped by the knob 34 in correct relationship to the mastercontrol lever 9 for operating conditions. The machine or unit alsoincorporates a water jacket or vaporizer 39 which is fed from a supplycistern ill and which not only maintains a predetermined temperature ofthe refractory lining M of the fuel bed, thereby preventing adhesion ofclinker, but also provides steam for air blast saturation, which steamis delivered into the base of the fuel bed 2 by way of side pipes 42.

It will be seen that the ash extraction mechanism may be set by means ofthe index pointer 24 at any reasonable ratio to the coal feed, that isto say, so that the ash-clearing plough I9 may give a displacement ofsay 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 per cent according to the ash content ofthe fuel, and that on thus setting this indexed ash discharge inproportion to the coal feed, the discharge is maintained and varied inthe same ratio that the coal feed is varied according to the capacityrequired from the machine or unit, and as the air supply may also be setby means of the index pointer 33 and maintained in any desired relationto the coal feed, it will further be seen that, in effect, both theash-clearing device and the air supply device are calibrated accordingto the percentage of ash and to the pressure of air required, and thatafter these initial calibrations all the controls are operated in thepredetermined ratios with one movement of the master control lever 9.Subject to the electric motor drive, therefore, the gas-producer machineor unit is completely automatic in operation, both in regard to fuelfeed, air supply, and ash discharge, being equally suitable for handlingbitumen and anthracite coal or coke of the lowest and cheapest grades,entirely eliminating the human element, and being fitted with indexedcontrols which ensure precision delivery of high quality gas at constantpressure and temperature for any industrial furnace application. Inoperation the machine or unit maintains a fuel bed of constant depth andmay be set to gasify fuel efficiently from one-tenth of its capacity upto full capacity, either intermittently or continuously, during fullload or during stand-by periods, whether applied to heat treatmentfurnaces, forge furnaces, welding or melting furnaces, kilns, or likemetallurgical furnaces.

The Whole of the driving and. control mechanism, including the motor,the speed-reduction gear, the blower, and the fuel, ash, and aircontrols, are mounted on a front plate or frame 43 forming a detachableelement of the machine or unit. This frontplate or frame with itssupporting mechanism can be separately removed from the machine or unit,Whilst the machine or unit as a whole, by reason of its supporting baseM mounted on wheels 45, can readily be separated from the furnace withwhich it is operated. The machine or unit can be applied to new furnacesor to existing furnaces of various types, without necessitating anyalteration of the furnaces, and enabling the cheapest available gradesof fuel to be utilized.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gas-producer machine of the mechanical stoker type for supplyingheating gas to metallurgical and like industrial furnaces, and whichcomprises a feed screw for delivery of fuel to the fuel chamber, a sidewall which is adapted to be oscillated to and from an opposite side wallfor crushing purposes, a mechanism for actuating said oscillatingash-clearing device beneath said fuel chamber, and a common power-drivenshaft for actuating said elements, the combination of an indexed controlmechanism for varying the feeding rotation of said fuel feed screw,means for actuating said ash-clearing device through the medium of saidfuel feed screw, an indexed control mechanism for independently varyingthe displacement of said ash-clearing device, a blower for delivery ofan air blast to said fuel chamber, an indexed control mechanism forindependently varying the volume of said air blast, and a master controllever for the simultaneous operation of the said various controlmechanisms after the independent initial settings thereof.

2. In a gas-producer machine of the mechanical stoker type for supplyingheating gas to metallurgical and like industrial furnaces and whichcomprises a feed screw for delivery of fuel to the fuel chamber, a sidewall of which is adapted to be oscillated to and from an opposite sidewall for crushing purposes, a mechanism for actuating said oscillatingside wall, a reciprocating ash-clearing device beneath said fuelchamber, and a common power-driven shaft for actuating said elements,the combination of an indexed control mechanism for varying the feedingrotation of said fuel feed screw, means for actuating said ash-clearingdevice through the medium of said fuel feed screw, an indexed controlmechanism for independently varying the displacement of saidash-clearing device, a blower for delivery of an air blast to said fuelchamber, an indexed control mechanism for independently varying thevolume of said air blast, a master control lever for the simultaneousoperation of the said various control mechanisms after the independentinitial settings thereof, an electric motor, a speed-reduction gear, anda detachable front frame plate constituting a mounting for the whole ofthe driving and control mechanism, including said motor, speedreductiongear, blower and said control mechanisms.

JOHN FALLON.

